


homeward bound

by irlquicksilver



Category: Carrie (2002), Carrie - Stephen King, IT - Stephen King
Genre: Carrie lives as per the 2002 ending, Everybody Lives, Gen, Hitchhiking, Mike's an adult so don't be weird pls, Secret Santa, Set just before It Chapter 2, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:20:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28436022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irlquicksilver/pseuds/irlquicksilver
Summary: Years after the incident of the Black Prom, Carrie returns to a small town in Maine, wanting to see Sue again.She stops in Derry, where she meets a man in the library.
Relationships: Carrie White & Mike Hanlon
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	homeward bound

**Author's Note:**

  * For [freddykrueger1428](https://archiveofourown.org/users/freddykrueger1428/gifts).



> Hey howdy ho! This is a part of a holiday fic exchange within the Carrie discord server! I hope you liked it, and I hope it's good ;w; !!!

Carrie sighed as she got out of the car, grabbing her bag and nodding to the kind stranger in the driver's seat.

“You sure you'll be okay?” The stranger asked. Carrie shook her head, holding her bag close to her chest.

“I'm fine.” She said, “Thank you, ma'am.”

“I can drive you further. This town doesn't have much.”

“I'll be fine.”

The stranger sighed and nodded, waving goodbye to Carrie as she drove off. Carrie stared after the car, planted in place. She sighed, looking down at the ground.

“What the hell am I doing...” She muttered, biting her lip. What the hell was she thinking, coming back to Maine? This is the worst idea she'd had in a while, probably worse than going to that fucking _prom--_

She sucked in a breath, shaking her head. She couldn't back out now. Her mind was made up, she needed to see Sue Snell again. Carrie hadn't seen the girl ever since she left Florida, saying that they probably shouldn't see each other ever again. Carrie was fine with that for a while, settling into a homeless shelter (she couldn't risk buying a house, especially when she's supposed to be away from the public eye) and even getting along well with her neighbors. But she never forgot Sue Snell, no matter how much happier and more sociable she was now.

Which lead her here, in some town called Derry, Maine. Her goal was Chamberlain, not really knowing if Sue was still living there. But she had to try for her own sake.

She'd been hitchhiking her way to Maine, unable to get a driver's license. How could she, with no way to change her name? She had a few close calls with less-than-holy drivers, but it was nothing her telekinesis couldn't handle.

She wasn't stupid enough to leave signs, any who tried to take advantage of her were subjected to accidental deaths.

Carrie looked up at the sky, it was late afternoon. Soon she'd have to find a place to sleep, or something to do until it was time to move again. She looked back down and set off, trying to find some sort of place to stay.

She passed by a store window, and she caught a glance of herself. She had aged these past few years, and it was hard to recognize herself sometimes. Her ratty, dark hair was now a pale blonde, cheeks a bit fatter and she no longer had bags under her eyes. Her body was more plump, not skinny like it was when she was in high school.

There was a low chance someone could connect her to Carrie White, but she still had to be careful.

Shaken out of her daze, she began to walk again.

Carrie took in the sights of the town, people were scattered along the sidewalk. Some kids were biking in the streets or running about wildly. It reminded her of her days in Chamberlain, watching kids from her window have fun while she was stuck praying to false passages.

Her feet stopped walking as she looked into a building. From what she could saw, it looked like a library. Carrie frowned, when was the last time she entered a library? Even during her time in Florida, she never once stepped foot in a library.

She tilted her head. Maybe stopping by wouldn't be so bad.

Carrie opened the door to the library and stepped in, immediately being hit with the dusty smell unlike the school library long destroyed years ago. She closed the door softly behind her, looking around.

It looked like, well, a traditional library. Dark floors and walls accompanied by long tables and bookshelves as tall as can be. She nervously looked around. Almost no one was in there.

She set her bag on a nearby table and walked over to a random bookshelf, running her hand along the spines of the books. It felt comforting, the soft leather brushing against her fingertips.

She chose a book at random and flipped it open, handling the ancient pages with care. It seemed to be a history book, particularly about the town of Derry. Carrie stared at the pages but adsorbed nothing, mindlessly flipping through the pages.

“Not often anyone stops by nowadays.”

Carrie jumped with a yelp, slamming the book shut. She turned around to her left, meeting face to face with a taller man. The man blinked, holding his hands up.

“Hey, sorry. Didn't mean to scare you.” He said gently. Carrie gulped, catching her breath.

“S-Sorry.” She mumbled, putting the book back in its place on the shelf.

“No harm, no foul.” The man said with a shrug, “I've never seen you around before. New in town?”

“J-Just passing through.” Carrie replied, “Is...is this library closed? I'm sorry, I didn't know.”

“Nah, not closed.” The man said with a shake of his head, “No one stops by anymore. Technology and all that, no one appreciates the real stuff anymore.”

“Oh.” Said Carrie lamely, “I mean..I still appreciate it.”

The man laughed, outstretching his hand.

“Name's Mike. You?”

“Cassie.” Carrie replied, taking the man's hand. She took the nickname brought upon herself by forgetful adults and made it her new identity. It was kind of ironic, a name she hated so much keeping her safe and hidden.

“Nice to meet you, Cassie.” Mike said after a minute, shaking her hand gently. Carrie allowed herself to smile. Mike seemed like a nice man.

“So where you headed?” Mike asked.

“Chamberlain.”

Mike's eyes widened, letting out a low whistle.

“Chamberlain?” He repeated, “Damn, no one really goes up there anymore. People say it's cursed or something.”

Carrie heard Mike mutter something under his breath, she could have sworn he said “just like this junk of a town”, but she couldn't be sure.

“I...I have a friend who lives there,” Carrie said. It wasn't a _complete_ lie, after all, “I just wanted to see her.”

“Maybe. After all that Black Prom stuff that happened a few years back, people have sorta left that town. They pass through here sometimes.”

Carrie bit her lip, at both the mention of the prom and the possibility that Sue wasn't even in Chamberlain any more. Mike seemed to pick up on it and frowned sadly.

“Sorry, I don't mean to get your hopes down.”

“It's fine. If it happens you can't really help it.”

Carrie let out a soft sigh.

“The only thing I can do is just...hope she's still there, I guess.”

Carrie paused, what _was_ her backup plan if she found out Sue had left? She'd just have to hitchhike back down all the way back to Florida, but she wasn't really looking forward to that.

“I can drive you up to Chamberlain if you want.” Mike suddenly said, startling Carrie out of her thoughts. She blinked, looking up at him.

“Oh, uh, it's fine.” She muttered, feeling herself blush, “That would be way too much trouble. I can...”

“Nonsense.” Mike said with a wave of his hand, “I need something to do, anyway. When are you going?”

Carrie allowed herself to smile, and they fell into easy conversation. The plan was set: Mike would drive Carrie to Chamberlain, and check in on her the following day to make sure her friend was there in case she needed a ride back to Derry. Carrie found herself feeling grateful, Mike was a really nice man, even to a stranger like her.

When she asked why he was being so kind to her, he got a dark look in his eyes.

“No one should stay here for long.” He muttered darkly, “Especially not now.”

Carrie felt too scared to even ask why. Towns had their secrets, some of them didn't need outsider interference. Though something gnawed at her, a want to learn more about Derry. But she knew that it would cause more trouble than she wanted, she should just mind her own business.

Before she knew it, the sun had begun to set, casting an orange light into the library through the windows. Carrie gathered her things and went to leave. Mike tried to get her to stay the night in his apartment, but she declined.

She shouldn't have even talked to Mike for so long, what if he found out? He already knew about the prom.

She just needed to distance herself. She wouldn't even take his ride back to Derry. She can figure something out.

She has to.

* * *

Carrie opened the door and grabbed her bag. She looked out to the town of Chamberlain and paused.

How long has it been since she'd been there? The town hadn't changed at all, looking just the same as it did when she left it. The buildings destroyed in the wake of her destruction were rebuilt, as if she hadn't used her powers in the first place.

The town tried to erase its history, but Carrie could never forget what happened. She assumed it was the same for the residents, as well.

“Well, here we are.” Mike said, walking around to the front of the car, “You okay?”

“Y-Yeah.” Carrie said, rushing out of the car and planting her feet on the ground.

Bad idea.

All at once she got a wave of memories. Covered in blood, walking home, being jeered at by children on bicycles. Wait. That had happened before the blood, but her mind was a mess.

Mike frowned, a look Carrie couldn't place a name on in his eyes.

“You need a minute?”

“N-No. I'm fine.” Carrie repeated, “Th-Thank you for the ride.”

Mike nodded, leaning on the hood of his car as Carrie stepped forward, looking at the sky. The sky was gray, the clouds dark. It was going to rain soon.

“So, if your friend isn't here, I can get you a ride back to Derry. Sound good?” Mike asked, shaking Carrie out of her thoughts.

“I'll be fine.” Carrie rejected, “Just...don't worry about me.”

Mike hesitated but nodded, climbing into his car. Carrie stepped onto the sidewalk, she should seem his off, at least.

Mike pulled up and smiled at her through the window. She smiled back.

“See you around, Cassie.” He said, “I hope you find what you're looking for.”

Carrie nodded and waved, watching as Mike's car disappeared over the horizon.

* * *

Mike glanced at Cassie in the rear view mirror of his car, the small girl staying planted on the sidewalk as he drove off.

Or would it be more appropriate to say Carrie White?

He wasn't sure if he right, or just overthinking. He did that a lot, ever since his childhood when the biggest thing he faced was a weird dancing clown. But, Cassie? Not to mention the fact that Carrie's body was never found...

He shook his head, turning on the radio. Whatever the reason for Carrie's return to Chamberlain, he had the feeling it wasn't for malicious intent. She wasn't the evil mastermind everyone made her out to be, she was nothing like...

He shuddered and turned the music up louder to get away from that train of thought. Speaking of that, he would have to prepare soon...

He had a feeling that encounter years ago was far from over. He just hoped Carrie and whoever she was looking for would stay out of it.

With determination and music blaring in his car, he drove back to Derry.


End file.
